Suturing is a common surgical procedure for repairing wounds and incisions. During certain forms of surgery, in particular, endoscopic surgery, only small amounts of space are available for viewing surgical sites and repairing wounds and incisions. Viewing devices, such as telescopes and TV cameras reduce the space for making sutures and thus substantially increase the time for performing surgeries. Also, a surgeon's hands are sometimes punctured with needles, placing the surgeon at risk to serious and sometimes fatal infections.
In my U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/508,669, an improved endoscopic suturing device was disclosed for repairing wounds and incisions. One distinguishing feature of the invention is that opposite ends of a needle are simultaneously grasped and released when a pair of pivotally connected needle holders are brought together by a surgeon. Another distinguishing feature of the invention is that only one hand is required during the grasping and releasing of the opposite ends of the needle, thus freeing the other hand for other tasks, such as manipulating a telescope.
Several important benefits are achieved with this device. One benefit is that the suturing device is particularly useful where only limited amounts of space are available for performing surgery, Another important benefit is that the time for performing surgery is reduced, thereby reducing stresses on patients and increasing the utilization of operating rooms. Another benefit is a reduced exposure of surgeons to infections from a needle puncture.